The Poet’s Way runs in between the Mustalahti Harbor (located next to the Särkänniemi amusement park in Tampere) and the Virrat Harbor (located near the center of Virrat). The route crosses Lake Näsijärvi and continues through the Murole Canal to the lakes Ruovesi and Visuvesi before reaching Virrat. The total travel time is eight hours and fifteen minutes.

You can find tickets from Tampere to Virrat here.

Virrat Harbor
4 June to 15 August Thursdays and Saturdays Klo 10.30 - 19.15

Price examples for adult tickets

Tampere – Murole  41 €
Tampere – Ruovesi  51 €
Tampere – Virrat 72 €

Roundtrip x 1,5

Bike & Boat: Transport fee for a bike 10 € (includes bicycle transport fee and cycling map)

Prices are examples from our webstore. A service fee of 5 € is added to the price of the tickets when purchased on the boat or at the Laukontori ticketing booth. We reserve all rights to changes. Please visit our calendar of events to stay updated on the availability of all cruises and events.

10.07.2026

Nostalgia on The Poet's Way

The Poet’s Way runs in between the Mustalahti Harbor (located next to the Särkänniemi amusement park in Tampere) and the Virrat Harbor (located near the center of Virrat). The route crosses Lake Näsijärvi and continues through the Murole Canal to the lakes Ruovesi and Visuvesi before reaching Virrat. The total travel time is eight hours and thirty minutes.

Services and food

The traditional Tarjanne restaurant is open whenever the ship is on the move. On our regular route trips, we offer a lunch prepared from the season’s ingredients. You can also choose a meal from our à la carte menu. On our cruises, you can choose a meal from our à la carte menu. All wines come chosen and recommended by our in-house sommelier. In addition, the ship’s cafeteria offers a separate menu of snacks and refreshments. The restaurant relies on local materials – often produced by companies along the route – and the good fortunes of the professional fishermen at Lake Näsijärvi. Booking meals in advance is highly recommended. Our lunch menu varies on a weekly basis.

If you purchase a cruise package that includes dining, please indicate the name of the dish you choose as well as any special dietary requirements in the additional information field when booking your ticket.

The Tarjanne menu is currently unavailable in English.

Tarjanne menu

Bike & Boat

Bring your own bike! There’s no better way to spend a summery day than combining a lovely boat trip with some bicycle action. The Pyhä and Näsi bike routes are the perfect trails when travelling on land, and steamboat Tarjanne will take care of your transportation needs on the water.

The Bike & Boat ticket is your way to plan the perfect day trip on the waves and on the wheels. To experience the lovely vistas around Lake Pyhäjärvi, choose the Silverline services from the Laukontori Harbor. For the idyllic sceneries of Lake Näsijärvi, hop aboard steamboat Tarjanne at the Mustalahti Harbor.

More information

Steamship circular cruises

Virrat Tour and Tarjanne Tour

Hop on the bus in Tampere and travel to Virrat, then return to Tampere by steamship Tarjanne. These hugely popular circular cruises are on sale again!

Tarjanne operates circular cruises four days a week. On Wednesdays and Fridays you travel by Tarjanne to Virrat and return by bus. Tickets are available via this link. On Thursdays and Saturdays you travel by bus to Virrat and return to Mustalahti by Tarjanne. Tickets can be found earlier on this page.

All circular‑cruise packages include a meal on board Tarjanne, chosen in advance from three main course options, plus coffee/tea and a small sweet.

Please note: Tarjanne circular‑cruise packages are removed from online sales 24 hours before departure.

When purchasing a circular‑cruise package, the meal is included in the price. Do not purchase it separately — simply write your chosen main course in the message field. You can also note any dietary requirements there.

Virrat Tour
Prices: adults 119 €, children 60 €, seniors/students 107 € Includes: bus transfer Tampere–Virrat, cruise Virrat–Tampere, meal on board.

Tarjanne Tour
Prices: adults 96 €, children 49 €, seniors/students 85 € Includes: bus transfer Ruovesi–Virrat, cruise Virrat–Ruovesi, meal on board.

Bus timetable from Tampere to Virrat
Tampere Mustalahti Harbour (from Särkänniemi E stop, Google Maps) 08:20
Bus Station (front yard) 08:30
Teisko Kämmenniemi, Sale stop  09:00
Terälahti, Sale stop  09:10
Ruovesi harbour 09:45
Virrat harbour 10:20

When booking online, please write in the additional information field whether you will board the bus at Mustalahti Harbour, the Bus Station, Kämmenniemi or Terälahti. Operator: Bussi‑Manninen.

Note: Circular‑cruise packages cannot be purchased on the bus.

Tarjanne returns to running on firewood

Tarjanne returned to running on birch firewood after nearly 60 years. The ship’s boiler was restored to its original form, and since the 2023 season Tarjanne has once again operated on the Virrat–Tampere route powered by firewood. For passengers, the change is noticeable in the absence of oil‑burner noise and in the traditional woodpiles waiting at the terminal harbours, perfectly suited to this historic vessel.

During the renovation, the oil burners and tanks were removed, and the fireboxes were rebuilt with oven and draft doors as well as grates. Ash is removed once a day, and the boiler tubes are swept a couple of times a week. Clean ash can still be reused, for example, as fertilizer.

The return of a long‑route steamship to biofuel is a milestone in Finland. Choosing firewood brings Tarjanne one step closer to its original character while also pointing toward the future with a shift to renewable fuel.